One of Nigeria’s leading Federal Road Safety Corps marshals, ACM Kayode Olagunju, who took an AIT/DAAR Communications Newscaster home as wife 20 years ago, while everybody was busy watching the News, has revealed the twists and turns in his journey and those who paved the road for him.
Here is Dr Kayode Olagunju’s story posted on his Facebook page:
SEUN: MY SWEET ANGEL AND CO-PILOT OF 20 YEARS
– ACM Kayode OLAGUNJU, PhD, FCILT, mni
I had gone to the National Stadium Lagos to watch a match involving the Super Eagles. I was one of the Organizing Committee members as the Lagos Sector Commander of the FRSC. Then I had to rush to DAAR Communications in Alagbado immediately after the match to feature as the first guest of a debuting radio programme, The Levi Ajunoma Show. The programme was slated for 11 pm to 1 am. An interactive phone-in Programme. The match ended around 9 pm. I had given my word to the Late Veteran broadcaster, Levi that I would definitely show up for the programme.
I stormed Ray Power Studio with my aides and some staff in a convoy and we were excited that Nigeria won and in fact, we were blowing whistles in excitement. Dr Levi and I could not communicate to confirm if I was on my way as there was no GSM then. He just took my words that I would come. We got there few minutes to the commencement of the airing of the live program. We were noisy and rowdy and I remember Levi telling us to continue to blow our whistle to herald the programme in the same excitement The studio was very lively as it was a difficult win for Nigeria.
Then I noticed this beautiful lady who was unfazed with our loud entry. She sat quietly going through a book. She was the continuity announcer to introduce the live programme. There were other men and ladies in the room obviously infected with our excitement apart from this quiet damsel. I quickly noticed her and I wanted eye contact and interaction but she was not ready for any.
She announced the Programme and disappeared. Can you imagine? Honestly, I could not really interact with her as I was there with a lady. The lady was given a seat in the studio and that really caged me.
After the Programme, I sent for some copies of the Highway Code and endorsed the copies to all in the studio apart from my team. I asked her as I was about endorsing her copy, “Seun who please? “Aruwajoye” she stated in a very beautiful voice. An inner voice told me, “This is your wife”. In the midst of confusion purposely created, I slipped my call card with a message, “Please call me” in her copy of the Highway Code. Then we disappeared, the same way we came. That same Highway Code of that day is now a Souvenir in our family library.
Waited for days and later weeks, no call. I later learnt she went to attend a course at the TV College in Jos. Then I was later invited for the Raypower early morning program “Factfile”. I decided to go with my friend and colleague, Sola Bamidele, that I usually refer to as B.I.C, “Brother in Crime” to hang around the DAAR Premises and track Seun Aruwajoye at all cost and he should recruit more in house partners to execute the Strategy. We had Gbenga Aruleba and Wilson Akpabio among the people.
Immediately after the live program, behold, standing right in front of me in the studio was Seun. She was to read the News and to use the seat I was on. I refused to stand up as I saw that time for her to go live was ticking and knew that would be a good time to extract contact information from her. She was agitated. I extracted a promise from her to call me before getting up. Guess, that was bullying. Anyway, I got what I wanted and asked Sola to still hang around to firm things up.
I became friends with more people around her. Moji, her friend joined the crew and I was monitoring her on the radio and television.
I traced her and my ‘toasting’ did not work as she later told me she saw me as an unserious man. Someone who had a wife at home came to the studio with a lady and was running after another lady in the same studio. He must be a serious Casanova. So she thought. She did not know I was actually not married and there were already issues with the lady I came with. Then I discovered she had a vehicle and engaged a driver. I promptly offered to teach her how to drive and that she should consider it an honour to be taught by the number one road safety guy in the state. I noticed we had become friends and she agreed to be my learner.
I was able to convince her, it was better to use good lonely roads for learning driving. Trust had come in as I suggested Iworo -Ajindo ASCON road in Topo, Badagry. Then the learning process combined with toasting began.
I still vividly remember our first date. Seated around the lagoon at Whispering Palms in Iworo Ajido, I asked her, to immediately sack whoever was her boyfriend as her husband had come. She just laughed in an unbelievable manner, but here we are today, two decades after as husband and wife.
I found Oluwaseun Omolara, then Aruwajoye as a very intelligent being (She still is) complimenting her beauty. She seemed to have knowledge of everything, maybe because of her broadcast journalism profession. Even when we would go to the Stadium together to watch live football matches, her sense of analysis was great and she could recognise all the Nigerian players and their styles. Our friendship grew and I also noticed her humility and kind-heartedness.
When she finally agreed to marry me I put a notice in my office and sent the same out three months to the period. Seun actually made me get down at the bus stop of being a playboy. This was reflected in the Number Plates of the vehicle I used on the 29th April, 2000. I had the plate “HOOKED” in the front of the car and “AT LAST” at the rear.
On this day twenty years ago, we were at the Methodist Church, Tinubu, Lagos for the holy matrimony and then the Glover Hall at the Lagos Island for the reception and ended up with a night party in Ilesa, with Dele Taiwo, the rave on the live band. What a beautiful day! We had had our traditional wedding in Owo, Ondo State, a week earlier, where I discovered her good upbringing was nurtured. Thanks must also go to her late mum, Iya Ife, Madam Kayo Idowu-Aruwajoye for raising a wonderful lady. May her kind soul rest in peace. How I wished you also met your Mother-in-Law, Mrs Oyebola Olagunju-Olajuyigbe, my great mother who departed a decade earlier. She wanted to pamper her daughter who would join the family as my wife. She always told me she’d tell my wife everything, every time I played any prank. May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace.
Oluwaseun, how I wish I had married you earlier and extended the goodness of the relationship more. You are a supporting, caring, loving and hardworking woman that the Lord ordained to change my life positively. You are truthful, bold, courageous and beautiful in and out. A wonderful wife and a great mother to our three great and beautiful daughters and the icing on the cake, our son. A role model to the children and several other persons. I love you greatly my Sweet Angel and pray for us, many more fruitful years in good health and prosperity. We will see our Children’s Children as I know that the best lies ahead. THANK YOU SEUN, A RARE GEM.
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